Category: Sackville’s Memorial park

Bambi has been silent lately. No time to breath, but she does not want to miss the chance to write, ahead of tomorrow, to wish her friend Olga a WONDERFUL forthcoming birthday!

Olga is not just a friend to Bambi’s spouse and to her. She is literally family!

Olga has a golden heart, which has room not just for her spouse, children, grandchildren, beloved close friends or relatives, but also for Bambi’s family MANY miles away. She thinks of them. She asks about them. She prays for them. Same for her spouse’s parents and aunt.

Every year, Olga sends Bambi and her spouse the most beautiful birthday card. A card handmade by herself. What an artistic talent! Of course, the card is filled with love and this makes it even more special. Since Bambi clearly lacks talent in painting, she will simply use this post as a virtual card to wish Olga a Happy Birthday. May tomorrow be a wonderful day for her! May her new year be rewarding in many different ways!

Of note, this year is a key milestone for Olga. Indeed, she just celebrated her Golden Anniversary with Manouchehr (or Cherri)! Fifty years together, WOW! Sadly, Bambi could not travel to Ontario to celebrate with them as she was flying to the Middle East to visit her dad (et al.). Congratulations to the love birds!! Bambi loves Olga, Cherri, and each of their children (along with their respective families) beyond blog words ❤️! Bravo to them for raising such a beautiful family. They provided their children with roots, to be grounded, and wings to fly and expand their horizons!

Olga, fond regards from New Brunswick to the great lady filled with humanity, mother and for the grandmother that you are. Thank you for being Bambi’s friend in good as well as bad times. Thank for having publicly and privately supported Bambi’s blog when it was under attack. Thank you for your time in continuing to read her posts. What a blessing and… Happy Birthday ❤️!

Have you heard of an incredibly talented singer-songwriter from Québec, called Ms. (or Madame) La Bolduc, and her unique songs? This post shares an uplifting song, which was composed by Ms. La Bolduc during Canada’s great depression of the 1930s. It is entitled “Ça va venir découragez-vous pas” [We will get there!]? For your convenience, and if you wish, an English translation of the lyrics can be found online: https://tinyurl.com/4t4a6xrw . Is there anything more powerful than a message of hope during financial dark times?

If you are a boring dinosaur like Bambi when it comes to movies, you may have missed watching “La Bolduc” seven years ago. Luckily, the distance between Europe and Canada is long enough to watch several movies on board of an airplane. Bambi chose to watch only one movie during her trip back home. It was La Bolduc. She was deeply touched by the character, talent, and life of this AMAZING artist. She went through a lot of adversity and kept her spirits up, just like in her songs. For instance, she lost many newborns, infants, and young children (maybe 6 or 7?). She raised her family in extreme poverty. She supported her husband. She composed up to two songs per month, and performed to her beloved audience even when she was extremely sick. What a lady!

The movie was also historically enriching for Bambi to watch since it included scenes featuring Ms. Thérèse Casgrain. The latter is an inspiring French-Canadian feminist, politician, and senator. As a gifted reformer, Ms. Casgrain successfully lead the campaign for women’s right to vote in Québec. Of note, she was the very first woman to be elected leader of a Canadian political party (https://tinyurl.com/47nxtx2j). During her long and fruitful political career, Ms. Casgrain “vigorously fought against social, economic and political injustices affecting both women and men” (https://tinyurl.com/47nxtx2j).

Bambi will end her post here to leave you with Ms. La Bolduc’s song, along with a brief promotional video of the French-Canadian movie in question. She hopes you will enjoy her song, which is inspired by Irish melodies and French-Canadian folk songs.

Bambi started her long day in the middle of the night (of yesterday now) in Beirut. She will end it soon in Sackville, New Brunswick. Atlantic Canada.

Just before entering the gate from which she boarded her airplane in the Lebanese airport, she saw two sets of double pictures that moved her heart. How could they not to, when they were telling the story of the bloody civil war (1975-1990), instantly contrasted with a story of quieter, yet not peaceful, present times?

The few minutes spent looking at the Beirut pre- and post-war-pictures made Bambi remember Poland, namely Warsaw. This beautiful place knows how to remember war victims, honouring their memory. Remembrance is the least at the human level. Remembrance is a must if we want not to repeat the same mistakes again and again.

This being said, Bambi thought again of Poland in her four-hour wait in Montreal for a third airplane on the way to her final destination. Actually, she thought of Mr. Frederic Chopin because today happens to be the 176th anniversary of his death. Warsaw remembered and honoured him (https://tinyurl.com/bpa9vpmr). May his memory be eternal and thanks to him for the incredible musical legacy.

While still in Beirut, Bambi could not help not to share with you, dear readers, her quick reflection about how to survive in Lebanon given the highly unstable region and the complex domestic issues.

She gave it some thought and here are two elements of a possible answer to this existential question.

First, you can get inspired by street cats: taking naps on scooters, royally sitting on cars, or finding other comfortable ways to relax.

Second, you may wish to get inspired by T-shirts like the one in the picture below: “I don’t give a damn” OR “I don’t care” [“Je m’en fous” OR “Je m’en fiche”].

Both options are about attitude.

The cat way seems in line with the practice of mindfulness, which can train individuals to reach a calm mental state and be in a mental space of positive emotions.

The human way of “not giving a damn” is more in line with a voluntary state of “indifference“. Perhaps the latter is also in harmony with the psychological concept called “radical acceptance”, which facilitates the acknowledgement of circumstances we cannot control (without judgment, just acknowledging them) in order to ease one’s emotional distress.

May all the cats and human beings of Lebanon be safe and sound, regardless of the awful circumstances in the neighbourhood and domestically.

In a few hours, Beirut time, it will be Nicolas’ birthday!

A few hours ago, Tokyo’s time, Nicolas asked Mabelle to marry him… and guess what? She said YES!

His proposal was highly creative: two Japanese street artists [his friends :)] agreed to pretend to be drawing a painting for Mabelle. The painting was already produced by Nicolas himself, wow. Mabelle understood the message, especially when Nicolas knelt on his knees and proposed :). Needless to say, that she said YES! YAY!

Regardless of their uplifting Japan-based proposal, Nicolas and Mabelle make a beautiful couple. May God always bless them. For those who do not know it, Nicolas is not just Bambi’s nephew, but also her godson. Full of talent, he is awesome with his lovely character, mind, heart, and soul. Just like the meaning of her name in French, the gifted Mabelle is a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. They deserve all the happiness in the world. May their love for each other continue to bloom, as they embark on their exciting journey of increased commitment.

Mabrouk/Congrats DEAREST Mabelle ❤️and Nicolas ❤️!

Happy Birthday Nicolas-HABIBI ❤️!!

Upon returning home, to quickly finalize her work day and start the road trip to the nearest airport, a mother and a daughter knocked on Bambi’s door. Bambi hesitated before opening it. Indeed, she did not expect anyone. She was too busy.

She finally opened the door and a woman, apparently preaching for evangelism, told her that she is here to talk about “the end of war”. Bambi greeted this woman and the child, telling them that there is nothing like peace, she agrees. However, she thanked them and said sorry because she cannot chat. She was in a rush, leaving the house soon. They told her they were Jehova’s Witnesses and talk about the topic of end of wars to others as well. She said good-bye without informing them that she was travelling to the Middle East, which they seemed to refer to. How ironic.

This brief interaction about end of war seems to be in line with the Canadian Encyclopedia’s description of Jehova’s Witnesses: its members are known for their “refusal to bear arms, salute flags or accept blood transfusions” (https://tinyurl.com/yt5xxm7u).

Once inside the house, Bambi could not help not to visualize in her mind an old scene from the Lebanese civil war when two members of Jehova’s witnesses knocked on her parents’ apartment door. They chose a vulnerable moment, following the death of seven people on their street because of the harshness of a military weapon called organ of Stalin. Bambi will always remember this horrible day of her life, which took place after several sleepless nights because of the intense battles.

At the time, her senses were quite sharp, even more than ever. For instance, she had a premonitory dream about the mortality. She even told her parents about this dream when she woke up on this day. Somehow, without understanding how or why, her brain predicted the seven deaths. War times are a different beast than the peaceful daily life, whether the latter is hectic or not.

Back then, Bambi may have been harsher on the unsolicited two guests. When they asked her “if she likes to live in a place, like the kingdom of God, where there is no war” She replied: “NO, I love wars, suffering and even dying. I like it when I am shattered into 100 pieces”. She said so while closing the apartment door in a louder way than the usual. You can think that she lost it on those preachers, even if, like them, she values peace. Clearly she is not a fan of weapons and is not into killing of others. With all due respect to all religious groups, including the Jeovah’s Witnesses, she does not like seeing someone apparently exploiting vulnerable moments in the lives of anyone, including herself.

From the first story of her adolescence to the latest story of her middle age, sadly nothing seems to have changed in the world, and especially in the Middle East, when it comes to the cruelty of conflicts, terror, and wars. Thankfully, there are MANY folks who silently work for not just end of conflicts, but also their prevention. Perhaps even more significantly, they work for increased healing and for love. Today more than ever, the world needs healing and hope for more loving times. This is Bambi’s wish for the Middle East on this day of exchange of hostages and prisoners on the two sides of an endless conflict. It is also her wish for the entire world, especially its hot spots and anywhere, including North America.

Bambi is grateful for the present moment, today more than ever.

As for you, dear readers, Happy Thanksgiving from the bottom of the heart. Whether your celebrate Canada’s Thanksgiving or not, Bambi thanks you for your time each time you read her blog and for your continuous support. This being said, heartfelt warm regards to Greta (with much positive vibes and love ❤️!) as well as to Aline/Nabil et al. and to Mustapha and Myriam. Thank you ❤️ for your kindness with Bambi and her spouse.

This brief post includes a few pictures and a brief video taken by Bambi yesterday evening (or was it this morning?) during a 24hour-long trip from Atlantic Canada to the Middle East. If you are one of her cousins or childhood friends living in Beirut, you understand now that she is geographically closer to you. This for four more nights only. This trip was a last minute one. She sadly did not have the time to breath to share her travels plans. She sends your her love through this post ❤️.

To come back to the trip again, with its three airplanes, it is always heart-warming for Bambi to see an Air Canada airplane close to the Middle East Airlines (Air Liban), like in Europe. Additionally, upon her arrival to her final destination in the Lebanese capital, it was cool to see, among the passengers, a fan of the “Montreal Canadiens” [Les Canadiens de Montréall”]: ). Long live Canada’s hockey teams, professional and junior ones!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving [minus the turkey : )], and before sharing the pictures and video, this post starts with a handwritten Arabic note of Mr. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)’s most inspiring prayers by Bambi when she was a child. Many thanks to Antoine (Bambi’s dad) for having typed this poem for her a few years ago . This copy, which is attached to the wall in her office at home back in Sackville, has inspired her during hardship. MANY thanks now to Roula (Bambi’s thoughtful sister) for giving her the original, which was a childhood gift from Bambi to their late mom ❤️. It is her sweet gesture that partly inspired this post. Despite the many years separating her from her childhood, Bambi still knows Tagore’s poem by heart. Who knows? Maybe she has a good memory? Or she had been a diligent student in elementary school? Regardless, she was surely blessed with amazing teachers :).

Happy Thanksgiving again! Bonne Action de grâce!

Forty-seven years ago, like today, Mr. Jacques Brel took his last breath (https://tinyurl.com/8v9ptm6e). Thanks to the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, we learn that Brussels-born Brel was a remarkable pilot who adored the Québécois French language (https://tinyurl.com/ytntkw2m).

As a brief musical tribute, this post shares three of Mr. Brel’s superb songs, which are performed below by himself and by two of Québec’s most beautiful voices, Ms. Isabelle Boulay and Ms. Marie-Élaine Thibert.

Thanks to Mr. Jacques Brel for having existed. May his memory be eternal.

Today more than ever, Bambi says…

NO to massacres, kidnapping, rape, and disrespect of deceased innocent people, including the Israelis. May everyone’s memory be eternal. May those still kidnapped return safely to their loved ones.

NO to forces that hijack beautiful religions or use an unsolved conflict to justify barbarity.

Bravo to Mr. Carney for having denounced Hamas on this sad day for humanity (https://tinyurl.com/3znbppk3).

Very sadly, today Hezbollah described the 7th of October 2023 as a “glorious battle” (https://tinyurl.com/yc74p9j4).

Since when does glory live in inhumanity?

Just before sleep soon, Bambi came across this YouTube magnificent performance by Mr. Vladimir Korneev! Roula F. from Montreal, this is for you with much love :).